The '''Church Fathers''' or '''Fathers of the Church''' are influential [[theology|theologian]]s and writers in the Church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. The term specifically refers to writers and teachers of the Church, not [[saint]]s in general; usually it is not meant to include the [[New Testament]] authors.

The '''Church Fathers''' or '''Fathers of the Church''' are influential [[theologian]]s and writers in the Church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. The term specifically refers to writers and teachers of the Church, not [[saint]]s in general; usually it is not meant to include the [[New Testament]] authors.

==Who are the Fathers?==

==Who are the Fathers?==

Line 15:

Line 16:

It should be noted that not all of the Fathers are considered to be [[saint]]s, and certainly none of them are regarded as infallible, most especially those who fell into [[heresy]], such as Tertullian and Origen. The Orthodox Church looks rather to the ''consensus patrum''&mdash;that is, the consensus of the Fathers&mdash;for its understanding of the patristic Orthodox faith.

It should be noted that not all of the Fathers are considered to be [[saint]]s, and certainly none of them are regarded as infallible, most especially those who fell into [[heresy]], such as Tertullian and Origen. The Orthodox Church looks rather to the ''consensus patrum''&mdash;that is, the consensus of the Fathers&mdash;for its understanding of the patristic Orthodox faith.

The Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church are influential theologians and writers in the Church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. The term specifically refers to writers and teachers of the Church, not saints in general; usually it is not meant to include the New Testament authors.

Contents

Who are the Fathers?

Those fathers who wrote in Latin are generally called the Latin Fathers, and those who wrote in Greek the Greek Fathers. The very earliest Church Fathers, of the first two generations after the Apostles of Christ, are usually called the Apostolic Fathers.

The Consensus Patrum

It should be noted that not all of the Fathers are considered to be saints, and certainly none of them are regarded as infallible, most especially those who fell into heresy, such as Tertullian and Origen. The Orthodox Church looks rather to the consensus patrum—that is, the consensus of the Fathers—for its understanding of the patristic Orthodox faith.